Piano Chord Dictionary Online Piano Chords

Chord Formulas

Piano chords are made by combining a series of notes from the major scale in a certain order to create each chord voicing. The formulas below tell which notes of the major scale are used to create a chord.

Major: 1 - 3 - 5 (M, maj)

minor: 1 - 3b - 5 (m, min)

Augmented: 1 - 3 - 5# (aug)

Diminished: 1 - 3b - 5b (dim)

Suspended 4: 1 - 4 - 5 (sus4)

6 Chords: 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 (6)

minor 6 Chords: 1 - 3b - 5 - 6 (m6)

7 Chords: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7b (7, dom7, dominant 7)

Major 7 Chords: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 (maj7, M7)

minor 7 Chords: 1 - 3b - 5- 7b (m7, min7)

9 Chords: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7b - 9 (9, dom9, dominant 9)

Major 9 Chords: 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 (maj9, M9)

minor 9 Chords: 1 - 3b - 5- 7b - 9 (m9, min9)

Notes on a Piano

On a piano, the white keys play no sharp or flat notes. The black keys on a piano play only the sharp or flat notes.